The Extraordinary Jesus

Introduction:

I. The Sears tower is the largest building in America

A. It is 110 stories tall and 1,454 feet high.

1. It contains 4.5 million square feet of floor space

2. It took three years to build at a cost of $150 million dollars

3. It contains 43,000 miles of telephone cable, 2,000 miles of electric cable

4. 76,000 tons of steel, 16,000 bronze tinted windows

5. It contains 2,232 steps from the ground floor to the roof

6. It is so tall it can be seen for over 40 miles away.

B. It has to be extraordinary to stand at the bottom and look up the tower and feel overwhelmed by the immense structure before you.

1. I don’t know about you, but for me architecture is amazing.

2. Probably because I understand what it takes to build a small house, I can only imagine the intricate details and coordination that must have happened for such a building to exist.

3. They say that if you dropped a pebble or penny from the roof it would kill someone if it hit them.

II. As extraordinary as a building can be it does not hold a candle to our Savior Jesus Christ

A. Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

B. This man is extraordinary

C. Do you want to see something so amazing it will leave you wondering what just happened? Look to Jesus.

D. Do you want to be a part of something that generations will be baffled at? Follow Jesus

Body:

I. He teaches with authority

A. The inclusio of Matthew

1. Inclusio is a Latin term used described the bookends of the story.

2. There are many in the Bible

3. The tree of life for example

4. The gospel of Matthew is centered around the idea that Jesus has all authority

B. The Sermon on the Mount

1. Jesus preaches the sermons of sermons

2. Beginning with the Beatitudes

a. Matthew 5:1-10 “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

b. After opening with the introduction of promises.

c. Look if you do this, this will happen.

3. He continues to preach a sermon about the heart of the matter: the heart

a. The sin is not just the murderous act, but the uncontrolled anger is a sin.

b. The sin is not just the adulterous act, but the lust for the woman.

c. Oaths – yes be yes

d. An eye for an eye

e. Love for enemies

4. And Matthew makes a comment at the end of the sermon, but first let us see Jesus conclusion to his message.

a. Matthew 7:24-27

b. Matthew 7:28-29 “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

5. This Jesus was no ordinary teacher, he taught as one having authority

C. All authority has been given

1. Now we fast forward through three intense years of ministry to finish the book of Matthew and he ends with Jesus speaking to his disciples about what? Authority!

2. Matthew 28:16-20 “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."